WHO/Europe has released 10 new factsheets on tobacco, highlighting that the Region, which spans 53 countries across Europe and Central Asia, is on track to remain the world’s highest in tobacco use by 2030. The findings draw from the 10th WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, showing that while many countries have laid strong foundations for tobacco control, critical gaps persist, and policies are struggling to keep pace with a rapidly changing nicotine landscape. WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, emphasized the urgent need for accelerated action to protect young people from nicotine addiction, prevent industry interference, and enforce regulations to prevent avoidable harm.
The factsheets reveal alarming trends among women and adolescents. The European Region is the only WHO region projected to miss the global target of a 30% reduction in tobacco use among women by 2025, with only a 12% reduction expected between 2010 and 2025. Over 62 million adult female smokers live in the Region, representing more than 40% of the world’s total. Adolescent girls aged 13–15 now have the highest tobacco use prevalence globally, with around 4 million adolescents across the Region using tobacco products. E-cigarette use among adolescents is also the highest worldwide, at 14.3% for those aged 13–15, with nearly equal rates among boys and girls.
The factsheets underscore the role of industry targeting, with flavored products and social media marketing contributing to rising use among young people. Some countries, including Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands, have successfully implemented policies regulating novel products, banning flavors, and restricting advertising, providing models for others in the Region. Among adults, the European Region also ranks second globally in e-cigarette use, with an estimated 31.4 million users, highlighting the need for policies to adapt to new and emerging nicotine products to sustain public health gains.
Policy implementation across the Region remains uneven. While monitoring systems and health warnings are widely in place, only 18 countries have comprehensive smoke-free laws covering all public spaces, and just 12 provide national quit lines and cover cessation services. Comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising exist in only 13 countries, and in 19 countries, cigarettes are more affordable today than in 2014. Regulation of e-cigarettes and other emerging nicotine products remains fragmented, undermining broader tobacco control efforts. WHO is calling on Member States to strengthen enforcement, close policy gaps, and extend tobacco control frameworks to cover new products before current trends escalate into a greater public health burden for the next generation.
